Disappearing Lizards? What next? (Thread Complete)

[Rei]

Raylin took a deep breath threw her hair behind her back and walked rather apprehensively into the candidate barracks. Where the heck was she supposed to go now? She tightly clutched the burlap bag housing her meager belongings and cast a wary eye over her surroundings. It seemed innocent enough. She had long since learned however, that appearances could be very deceiving.

She was distracted from her scrutiny by a small winged dragon looking creature perched upon a bedpost. She stared at for a moment it her mouth falling open in surprise. Was that a firelizard? She had never seen one before, just heard about them secondhand. It had to be the most wonderful thing she had ever seen. Well besides the dragons of course.

She gasped as the little beast suddenly disappeared. She cast her eyes about the room searching for it. Maybe she had imagined it? Did it just disappear? She spun around looking for it not even bothering to think about how silly she must look.

[Avu]

What a Salamandyr she'd never met before thought to gain by stealing the tiny capsule of oil from her was thoroughly a mystery to Meira. Judging by the brown's shine, it wasn't like he wasn't oiled; according to her Zesa's images, he looked to a Bronzerider, and Meira had never met said Bronzerider before in memory, nor offended him. So what was the little 'mandyr's problem? That, added to the fact that the wherling had completely switched her schedule around for her Meisk and the infirmary shifts, ensured that she was not in a particularly angelic mood, since this wasn't her normal waking hours. Far from it. "Give it back!" Her voice rang out as she pursued the 'mandyr around a corner, Zesa diving at the brown and scolding him thoroughly. No give! Ugly! came the delighted response as Stupid frilled at Zesa, sending the queen into a midair flip and another tongue-lashing at his noise and actions. "Give it to me, I need that!" Meira insisted, as the dark brown creature skittered around a corner and dove through a door just as it opened - and then promptly fell shut behind it.

Pausing to catch her breath, Meira rubbed her eyes wearily, raising her eyes to glance around herself and evaluate her surroundings. The...Candidate Barracks? A frown flickered across her face. More likely than not, the brown 'mandyr had simply been running any which way, since she couldn't see any reason why he'd elected to come here. Chase! Chase, ugly! he called happily. Zesa glided to her Bonded's shoulder with a worried chirp, her eyes whirling in anxiety. "Can you go in and get him, please?" Meira inquired tiredly of the flitter. The gold flit hummed a soft reassurance and leapt between.

The girl in the room was altogether ignored as Zesa winged to a bedpost at random, her eyes fixed on the tiny brown flash that marked the disappearance of the brown 'mandyr with the bottle of oil under the bed. She chirruped at him, head tilted curiously. Ugly! Mine! My shiny slosh! The gold flit lifted her wings in distress, rattling her pinions as she shifted uneasily on the bedpost. Still, the girl was ignored. People were everywhere; Zesa didn't particularly care about any of them unless her Bonded cared about them. Stupid poked his head out cautiously, and then displayed his frill vividly, hissing, the sound almost silent. Stupid ugly!

That was it. The little thing was, apparently, unable to cooperate. With an aggravated hiss, Zesa sprang into flight, disappearing between again and reappearing in front of Meira, looping gracefully to the girl's shoulders and humming in agitation, a series of images and memories flashing along their bond. Meira sighed, muttering an obscenity under her breath. How she wanted to simply go to sleep...was the oil really worth it? But she didn't want to let the brown 'mandyr get away with it...Is ugly mine slosh! How that little thing irritated her...Meira scowled, her brow darkening as she pushed open the door, Zesa cuddled against her throat - and then stopped dead, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of the Candidate.

Oops. "Ummm, sorry," she stammered after a moment, one hand automatically reaching up to cup her knots from view before she realized it was probably unnecessary. True, she didn't want to get told off for bursting in where she wasn't supposed to be, but - still. Candidates were lower than Drudges, as the Candidatemaster had so kindly informed her before...she'd be fine. Besides, along with the knots of a Wherling, she also had the knots of an Apprentice Healer...so, all was good. Purportedly, she could invent some strange excuse. "I - umm, a Salamandyr stole something of mine," she admitted, her eyes drawn automatically to the brown 'mandyr under the bed. "Zesa told me he was under that bed, so - I'm just trying to get it back and then I'll le - "

STUPID NO GIVE! the brown interrupted, broadcasting to the entire room; Zesa hissed, flaring her wings in irritation, as the 'mandyr, tail wrapped around the oil bottle, darted from under the bed and leapt, his wings flapping excitedly as he latched onto Raylin, skittering up the girl's leg until he could pull himself onto her head, tangling his claws into her hair and frilling, hissing at Zesa, who reared backwards, her wings snapping open as she squeaked in agitation. "Um. Well." That changed things.

[Rei]

Raylin hadn’t even noticed Meira, as engrossed as she was with her search for the lizard, until she had spoken. She whipped around to face the other girl and opened her mouth to reply when she noticed the gold lizard wrapped around her neck. She closed her mouth and cocked her head wondering how the lizard had gotten there.

She suddenly heard someone scream STUPID NO GIVE in a shrill loud voice. Then something small, brown, and scaly leaped onto her leg and started to clamber up her body. Her first reaction was to scream but she quickly swallowed it as she felt sharp little claws dig themselves into her hair. Her eyes widened in surprise. Screaming right now would be a bad idea no sense riling up the creature further.

She took a deep breath and noticed the lizard on the girls shoulder move yet again. Raylin watched the gold lizard flare and squeak and raised her hands in a defensive pose. “So the thing in my hair stole something of yours?” It was a thoroughly stupid question since the girl had already told her as much but she couldn’t resist asking anyway. A better question would have been how the heck do I get this thing out of my hair without scaring myself permanently?

An interesting situation to say the least, her head was spinning with unanswered questions but those where drowned out as she felt a small claw rake across her scalp. She winced in irritation, and reached her hand up to grab the creature. A warning issued in the back of her mind that this was an extremely stupid maneuver but she ignored it. If it bit her she would make it regret the decision. Maybe.

[Avu]

((Just for further reference, 'mandyrs aren't scaly; they've got hide like flitters and dragons.))

At least the girl didn't scream. That was a point in her favor, really, as Zesa had been moodily anticipating it. The queen flitter tilted her head to one side, bright jeweled eyes studying the girl briefly before she raised her gaze back to Stupid, whose frill was outstretched and quivering as he hissed defiantly at Zesa. Ugly ugly gold stupid! he proclaimed, almost cheerfully, drawing the tiny bottle of oil closer still as he wrapped thick locks of the Candidate's hair around his forepaws, determined to cling on for time being. Ugly, he added as an afterthought, his frill quivering with his newfound defiance as he flicked his tail, the tip of it brushing against Raylin's cheek as he turned around once, settling more comfortably into his position as he crooned smugly, the vibrations running through his body. Ha! Ugly stupid slosh not.

Meira was strongly considering grabbing the nearest dragonrider and having their dragon contact the bronzerider to whom this thing purportedly belonged to. (Poor bronzerider, really.) She raised one hand in a reassuring gesture, palm up, as if to stop the girl from crying out, very much aware of how terrifying it could be to have a 'mandyr on top of one's head hissing and displaying. At least this Candidate - she wasn't in public. As the girl spoke - no screaming - she nodded apologetically. "A bottle of oil. I was planning to oil Zesa..." At the mention of her name, the queen hummed softly, her eyes whirling in distress as she eyed the 'mandyr. "I was chasing him, and he ran into here..." She shrugged, mildly embarrassed. "So I sent Zesa in to see if she could just get him out, but he wouldn't come, so..." Another shrug, this one displaying the helplessness of the situation. "He's supposed to look to some Bronzerider, but unfortunately my Meisk is asleep, and I don't think he could contact a dragon anyways."

As the girl raised her hand - to grab Stupid? - Meira instinctively protested with, "Don't!" It was, mostly, an aftereffect of having Bite on her own hair - what had C'lryn done? Shiny. She glanced around helplessly, for a displaced earring, a shiny stone, something...found nothing. Zesa hissed, agitation clear as Stupid scrambled backwards away from Raylin's hand, frilling and shrieking at the girl. STUPID! STUPID KILL UGLY! he screeched, his frill extended to a dangerous length as he eyed her hand warily, and then darted at it, claws clinging to her hair as he snapped, purposely leaving a gap between teeth and skin. It wouldn't do to actually bite anyone, no - he would only bite His, so he couldn't get in trouble. Bad! No! he warned, slithering down the nape of her neck, bottle of oil and all, to her shoulder, so he could somewhat match Zesa's height, and shrieked again, his voice shrill with delighted anger. Mine! Mineminemine slosh!

His. His slosh!

[Rei]

Raylin jerked her hand to a stop as Meira exclaimed, then immediately dropped it as Stupid snapped at the air. His teeth made a sharp clicking sound. “Looks to?” She asked as the mander screeched at her.

She turned her head toward the mander as it clambered onto her shoulder. She had the strangest urge to stroke it. Its skin, upon closer examination, looked like that of the dragon she had arrived on. Not the same color at all but just as smooth.

“Besides annoying what exactly is it?” She asked gesturing to Stupid. “I’ve heard of firelizards but nothing like this. To tell you the truth I prefer your Zesa at least she has class.” Great she was rambling; she always did this when she was nervous. She sighed in irritation at herself.

She closed her mouth and studied the girl in front of her. She seemed nice, enough defiantly younger. She wasn’t exactly sure what position she held but she quickly guessed that it was obviously a superior one to her own. She berated herself silently. How did she always get herself into these situations? She threw another anxious glance at the mander who was still making his displeasure evident to the entire room. What a scene they must be making.

[Avu]

Haha! At least the girl had stopped trying to grab him. Stupid hissed quietly at her, clutching the bottle of oil close to him. If she tried to deprive him of his "slosh", he would not hesitate to take a chunk out of her finger, either! There was, actually, a reason for the brown 'mandyr's foul mood. Namely, His had locked him in a trunk to keep him from Chasing Tanith when the green Rose, and this was...revenge, of sorts. Stupid had felt terrible for missing Tanith's Flight, too...poor dragon had to Rise without him in pursuit. Yes. Revenge was sweet...his frill quivered, still extended, as he cocked his head first to one side, then to the other, staring at Raylin through narrowed eyes, flushed with annoyance. Why was this girl not afraid of him, yelling at him, or trying to take away his slosh? Ridiculous. Ugly stupid, he proclaimed brightly, determined to elicit some sort of response.

At the girl's question, Meira's gaze flicked from Stupid to her, one eyebrow inching towards her hairline, clearly surprised. Apparently this was one Candidate that hadn't been around long, and it showed. "I don't know his name, but they're called Salamandyrs, 'mandyrs for short," she explained. "They have limited mindspeech - some of them really are quite sweet...but, erm, honestly, the number of those who aren't far outweigh those that are nice." The wherling shrugged, running a distracted hand through her hair - whereupon her fingers closed upon something. Her eyes brightened as she cautiously undid the clip in her hair, letting the thick wave of it fall around her shoulders, the gleaming, metallic piece hidden in her fingers. What? Whatwhatwhat? demanded Stupid, eyeing her hand suspiciously as Meira went on, keeping her eyes focused on Stupid as she continued answering Raylin's question. "They come in the same colors that dragons and flitters do, each color with the same rank. There are currently two queens in Selenitas; gold Dael looks to Uu'n of blue photophobe Adith, and umm, the other one I don't know the name of, she just Hatched recently, but she looks to a Candidate. Zolten." She paused, watching intently as Stupid eyed her hand, his body tense.

"'Looks to' is just a term that some people use," she went on after a pause, going back to the Candidate's first question. "Basically, it means Bonded to. Like, Zesa looks to me; that one looks to some bronzerider, a Wingsecond, I think..." She shrugged apologetically, and then added, "This might not work, but...it worked with C'lryn's Bite, so." Exposing the shiny hair clip, offered flat on her palm for Stupid to see, the wherling's eyes narrowed, focusing on the 'mandyr as he hesitated, and then launched himself off of Raylin, the bottle of oil dropping from his grasp - Zesa had thrown herself into the air at the precise instant that Stupid had, diving between and reappearing in time to catch the bottle of oil and return to Meira's shoulder, proffering the bottle with a soft chirrup as Stupid grabbed the hair clip in his mouth. My shine pretty! he proclaimed around the gleaming green ornament, skittering from the room.

The silence left in his wake was slightly awkward. Meira dropped her gaze, embarrassed, relieving Zesa of the oil with a quiet, "thank you." Then, glancing back at Raylin, she flashed the girl another apologetic smile. "Sorry - I didn't mean to burst in or anything. You're not hurt?" And then, "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself, didn't I? I'm Meira, Bluewherling of Meisk, apprentice Healer. This is Zesa, like you know..."

[Rei]

Raylin nodded at appropriate intervals listening intently to Meira’s explanations. She kept her eyes however riveted on Stupid in case he though her ear looked tasty. She turned to Meira when she let her hair down, a questioning look coming into her eyes. Her unspoken question was answered however as the little mander vaulted off her shoulder, digging his claws into her shoulder in the process.

She yelped in surprise and watched the annoying creature scamper off to places unknown, a shiny hair clip clenched tightly between his teeth.So manders liked shiny things. She stored that knowledge away for further use.

Raylin turned again toward Meira at Zesa’s chirp again appraising the small creature. She smiled back at Meira. “No I’m not hurt just a few scratches.” She made a face. “Nothing to worry about, I am Raylin of Selenitas Hold. My family raises runners there.” She cast an apprehensive glance about the room. “I actually just got here so I am not at all sure of what I am doing.” She smiled again at Meira, “Nice to meet you and you as well Zesa.” She added giving a small smile in the lizard’s direction.

She decided she quite liked Meira. She was quite relieved to have met a nice person first even if it was under unusual circumstances. She sent a silent thanks to the annoying mander. Thanks to his interference she didn’t feel quite so nervous anymore. “So how long have you and Zesa been together? Where is Meisk?” She suddenly wanted to know more about this girl. It was better than sitting here all alone.

[Avu]

As Stupid's tail whipped out of sight, Zesa visibly relaxed against Meira's throat, snuggling against the girl's neck, tail draped lightly around and resting along her collarbone, exhaling in a strangely mature sound as she rested her head on the girl's collarbone as well. Meira offered the girl a tentative smile, quite aware that the circumstances of meeting were - odd, to say the very least. She would've made a mental note to demand of the Bronzerider why his pet was stealing things, but honestly, she was avoiding men that she was unfamiliar with for time being - the higher the rank, the worse. Needless to say, in that light, Bronzeriders were quite enough to make the wherling shy away entirely.

If Zesa was aware of Raylin studying her, the queen gave no sign of it whatsoever - the young flit had adjusted her schedule to match Meira's, meaning she, too, ought to be asleep, though she frequently made trips outside during the day. Her Bonded, though, realized it, with a small smile, nodding at the girl's response to her question. If she had been hurt - Meira winced internally. Not that she couldn't take care of it, but she would have to take the Candidate to the infirmary, as she carried neither redwort solution nor numbweed salve with her, and that really wasn't a great experience for a Candidate so clearly as new as the girl was. "Nice to meet you, too," she answered, dipping her head automatically, a gesture she'd become accustomed to during her time at Benden Weyr, something she couldn't quite break herself of. At least she wasn't bowing.

At the questions after her more personal information, Meira had to grin. She supposed life after Bonding was something looked forward to by Candidates; she couldn't blame Raylin for being curious. "Zesa I've had for..." She paused, tilting her head as she counted. "Five months?" The words were tentative, clearly an estimate. She explained, "It seems like she's always been with me...but if you've got Archive Duty, there should be a record on the Hatching." A shrug. They had records on everything, why not flitter hatchings? "Her dam is C'lryn's gold, Darling," she explained, "but she's probably due to Rise pretty soon, too." A pause as she reached for Meisk's consciousness, felt only sleep. "Meisk's in my quarters right now, dead asleep." Meira grinned slightly. "Technically, I should probably be asleep right now, too..."

The wherling hesitated, and then raised her hand, coaxing Zesa to her wrist, the flitter latching on to her forearm, raising her wings for balance as Meira raised her eyebrow at Raylin. "D'you want to touch her?" she offered quietly, carefully maneuvering Zesa forwards towards Raylin. "She's really well-mannered, unlike that 'mandyr," she added, wrinkling her nose. Thank Faranth she'd been asleep at the time of that 'mandyr Hatching...to align her life with that of one of those little monsters would be unbearable - doubly so, since the only encounters Meira had yet had with 'mandyrs were all - frightening ones. First Bite, now Stupid. Zesa flicked a glance at her Bonded, and apparently got the message - be nice to the Candidate - for she raised her head, offering Raylin a soft trill.

[Rei]

Raylin took in all Meira had to say relishing each tiny bit of information. Archive duty? So they kept records of everything. She made a mental note to check the place out and do some research. Anything that helped her adjust to weyrlife was important at this point.

Her eyes grew wide at Meira’s next statement.
“Zesa is going to rise soon?” She had heard only minimal information about dragon rises in her hold. Actually all she knew was that rises where linked to how the dragons and their kin bred. “So Zesa will have babies? Wow that’s exciting!” She thought back to the runners her family owned. The best part was the birth of the foals. They were so precious learning to stand on their long fragile legs and running about the pasture at the sides of their dams.

She was so engrossed in her thoughts she was caught by surprise when Meira offered Zesa to her. The candidate opened her mouth in a little O. “I would love to thank you.” She said her voice radiating her surprise. She took a deep breath and forced her hand to steady as she reached out towards the queen. She stroked the little creatures head softly completely absorbed in the little creature. It seemed so delicate. She marveled over the creatures fragile looking wings and whirling eyes. She smiled tentatively.

“So you keep different hours usually? Is that because your Wher is nocturnal?” Raylin continued to stroke the little Queen but fixed her eyes on Meira’s face offering her another smile. She had rather hoped she would get to see the girl often.

[Avu]

The girl's eyes widened visibly, and the smile widened slightly, amused by the reaction to that piece of information. Actually, she'd just assumed Zesa was due to Rise soon, although it was not entirely unfounded. Flitters matured much sooner than whers or dragons, and Zesa was an entirely mature flit by now, meaning she would most likely Rise within the next few tendays. "I'm not sure exactly when," she admitted, shrugging mildly with a glance at Zesa. "She'll start to glow gold when she's ready to Rise, and she'll get proddy, but that's about all I know, and that's not entirely specific...Zesa's always been really bright gold, whereas some golds, like Aslath, aren't, so I'm not sure if that affects anything either."

As the Candidate reached out to Zesa, the queen hesitated, humming in soft appreciation as the girl stroked her. How nice of her! "She likes to have her eye ridges scratched," Meira offered softly, when, in the queen flared her wings, taking flight, looping lightly around Raylin and coming to rest carefully on the girl's shoulder that had been previously unoccupied by Stupid, tail draping lightly across the back of her neck to steady herself as she curled her talons under her, lest she scratch the girl. No, that would be bad indeed. She perhaps liked this girl just a little bit...Zesa was usually quite reserved, unless Hers specifically asked her to do something. She had been asked, had she not, to be kind to this young woman? Well, she was doing so...the queen's eyes whirled contentedly as she purred softly at Raylin, flicking a glance at Hers to make sure she approved. The flicker of a smile assured her that she did, indeed, approve.

Meira nodded at Raylin's query, drawing her eyes away from the flitter, meeting the girl's eyes with a small smile. "Yeah," she admitted. "And I have a night shift at the Infirmary, too, so it's just easier all around if I switch my hours around. Unfortunately, it doesn't work so well for Zesa, so I keep really strange hours most of the time...and Zesa usually has a while each day when I'm asleep, so if you see her alone, that'll be the reason why." She rather doubted Zesa would be seen when she was alone, as the young gold much preferred to wander the jungle, the river, or simply sun at the top of the waterfall - and, rarely, she'd venture to the kitchens, where she could wheedle some meat out of the Drudges.

[Rei]

“Aslath?” Raylin said the name questioningly. “She is the senior Queen right?” She reached up and began to softly scratch Zesa’s eye ridges as Meira instructed. She smiled at the little creature, and then looked back at Meira. “Must be hard to balance your hours like that, doesn’t it get tiring?” She made a face. “I suppose you would get used to it though.” She mused more to herself than Meira.

Raylin paused as something finally dawned on her. “Whoops…” She grimaced and then smiled at Meira, “Here I am chatting away and you probably have more important things to tend to. I’m sorry.” She frowned a bit. “I really appreciate your help with the...” she paused trying to remember the name for the frilled thing, “Salamandyr” she finished. “If Zesa ever got bored during the day I wouldn’t mind some company.” She offered trying to keep her eagerness out of her voice. “I mean if she wanted to of course.” She amended, throwing a glance at the Queen.

“I really should try to figure out where I’m going anyway.” She looked around the barracks apprehensively some of her earlier nervousness returning. “This place is huge; it is defiantly going to take some getting used to.” She glanced around at the rows of bunks and other candidates milling around the area. No one seemed to be paying too much attention perhaps they were all absorbed in their own worries like she had been.

[Avu]

Meira nodded at the question, a slightly amused smile twitching the corner of her mouth. "Yeah, Aslath of Shmee. Then there's Millieth, of Kaegan - her clutch just Hatched - and Hepaticath of Savitri are still in Weyrlinghood. Ciceroth of Ka'rys hold Weyrleadership now." She shrugged. If the girl was uncertain about the senior queen's name, she figured it wouldn't hurt to give her a brief rundown. "Kemma's the Candidatemaster, she'll be giving you your lessons," she added. "She'll probably introduce herself when you arrive at the lesson, just watch out for any slot openings. It really does help, the lessons." Her gaze lingered affectionately at Zesa, who, despite her original reluctance to leave Meira, seemed to be actually enjoying herself, crooning softly as the girl scratched her eye ridges, although her eyebrow rose in slight surprise at Raylin's comment. Hard to balance her time? "I don't notice," she answered, the words completely sincere. "I think it's worth it..." Working as a Healer in the infirmary meant she explored the craft further - not to mention in a much more pleasant area - than she had at Healer Hall, and replaced chores, too, and she did love to spend time with both Meisk and Zesa; both were undeniably sweet.

The wherling had to smile at the girl's comment. "Well, I should probably go to sleep, or I'll probably forget something embarrassingly basic when it's my shift," she admitted wryly, running one hand through her hair again with a slight grimace. "It's not a problem, though, about talking or the 'mandyr." A shrug had her hair falling down her back - irritating, but worth it, to loose her hair clip. "Zesa's already got a claim on her if she ever gets bored," she added, an amused smile twitching the corner of her mouth. "There's a Weyrling - blueweyrling F'neth of Kloth." She shrugged. "I can't control what she does, but if she wants to, I'm sure she'll remember you." True enough, as Zesa was nothing if not intelligent. She'd remember. Zesa chirruped softly, realizing the stroking was over, raising her eyes to glance at Meira expectantly.

"I'll see you around, then, and good luck," Meira finished, raising her arm for Zesa. In order not to hit Raylin with her wings - oddly long and narrow - simply leapt from the girl's shoulder, catching herself mid-fall and curling up around Meira's shoulders again with a farewell warble to the Candidate, closing her eyes lightly as her head came to rest on her Bonded's collarbone again. The wherling flashed the Candidate another smile, quite ready to get back to her room to collapse on the bed. As she moved towards the door, something bumped against her leg and she remembered the intentions she'd had previously. Right. She'd get to sleep after she oiled Zesa.

[Rei]

“Kemma” Raylin repeated the name softly to herself. The Candidate master, she must be the one who had posted the bunk assignments that she had found earlier. She listened to Meira as she continued to stroke the gold flitter. Zesa was so wonderful she couldn’t wait to have a partner like her.

As Meira finished her last statement Raylin felt a small pressure as Zesa left her shoulder and unfurled her long fragile looking wings. The candidate watched as the pair left Zesa warbling, and her partner smiling warmly. Raylin smiled back and waved as Meira exited the barracks.

After the healer had exited Raylin turned and walked back into the candidate barracks. She swept the room taking in the rows of bunks and lounging candidates. A warm feeling began to take the place of the cold fear she had harbored before. She had made a friend and met one of the most wonderful creatures she had even seen. Perhaps weyrlife wouldn’t be so bad after all.